


Not Weird, Not Broken

by TheSwordLesbian



Series: The Family Chase [7]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Autism Spectrum, Bullying, Gen, Mom Life, Mother Daughter Talks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:34:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27321271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSwordLesbian/pseuds/TheSwordLesbian
Summary: Kate has a late night talk with her daughter.
Relationships: Victoria Chase/Kate Marsh
Series: The Family Chase [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1943341
Comments: 24
Kudos: 28





	Not Weird, Not Broken

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: There is a slur in this fic. It happens once. It's used in context. I didn't use it lightly. And I am part of the group this slur is meant to insult.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this heartfelt mother-daughter convo.  
> <3

Kate pushed her chair back from her drawing table and leaned back, rubbing her eyes before stretching. She glanced at the clock on the wall, past midnight, Tori had come in a little while ago to say goodnight. Kate yawned and thought she should probably follow her wife’s lead. Standing up from her chair she grabbed her phone off the desk and shuffled her way towards the door, flipping the light off on the way out. She passed through the den and nearly started up the stairs when she glanced out the back door and noticed the hammock gently swinging. She walked over peering through the glass and saw her daughter laying there with her leg propped up on the railing, quietly rocking back and forth. Kate grabbed the throw blanket off the couch and wrapped it around herself before opening the door and stepping outside. “Ellie?”

The dark-haired girl looked up at the sound before turning back to stare out at the night sky. “Hey Mom.”

Kate made her way over to the hammock, blanket pulled around her like a shawl. “Sweetie what are you doing out here so late?”

“Couldn’t sleep” the teen replied. “I’m okay Mom, you don’t have to wait up for me.”

Something was wrong. Kate knew her daughter better than most people, Ellie rarely liked being alone. Even if she was doing something solitary, that required great focus, she still liked being around other people. So if she was out here alone now, saying she didn’t want company, then something was definitely bothering her. Kate made up her mind and walked around to the front of the hammock. “Scooch.”

“Wait what?” The young girl looked confused.

Kate put on her best air of nonchalance. Ellie also didn’t like being treated like something that needed to be fixed, so she had to go about this in a roundabout way. “I’m up anyway and I want to lay here and look at the stars with you. So, scooch.”

Her daughter blinked at her for a second before shaking off her confusion. “Oh. Okay.” She slid over to one side of the hammock. 

She sat down beside her daughter offering up half of her blanket. For a while they just sat there, quietly rocking, looking up at the sky visible past the roof of the porch. After a quiet sigh from the teen Kate finally broke the silence. “Penny for your thoughts?”

Ellie took a minute responding. “It’s just… Some assholes at school.”

“Ellie.” Kate scolded

“I know I know, sorry Mom.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “Some jerks. They were talking behind my back in the halls… about the game last night.”

Kate sighed. “Ellie it’s not your fault you missed those goals. Okay? Sometimes we just have off days.” She tried to add a little playful tone to her words, “even a player as awesome as you.”

The teen just laid there staring out at the sky. “It’s not the game… they said some kind of messed up things…”

Kate turned to look at her daughter looking at the hurt and fear in her eyes before quietly asking her, “what did they say?”

Ellie took in a breath. “They said…” she choked, her eyes watering. She swallowed, then continued shakily. “One of them said ‘we totally would have won if we didn’t have a retarded goalie on the team’...”

“Excuse me?!” Kate sat up and put her feet on the deck stopping the hammock from swaying. “How dare they sa-”

“Mom don’t…” she inhaled sharply. “Please… just...“ Ellie covered her face with her hoodie sleeves and started quietly sobbing, curling into a ball and rolling onto her side facing away.

“Oh no.” Kate reached out to hug her but stopped, Ellie wouldn’t want to be touched right now. She got up from the hammock and walked around to the other side kneeling down on the deck to be at face level with her daughter. “Ellie… Sweetie…” She spoke softly. “Ellie it’s okay. Just breathe with me okay? Come on. In… Out…” Kate began to breathe slowly and rhythmically trying to keep the teen from starting to hyperventilate. After a few minutes of steady breathing the dark-haired girl pulled her hands away from her face and rubbed tears away with her sleeves. She then sat up and pulled her hoodie off over her head. Despite probably being cold in just her tank top Kate suspected the fabric of the sweater was becoming a bit overwhelming for her. She stood up and walked back over to sit beside her daughter, keeping her distance. “Better?”

Ellie exhaled a long sigh reaching up to run her fingers through her hair. “A little.” She brought her hand down to fiddle with her earrings. She dropped her hands and huffed. “I hate this. Why do I have to be so weird and broken?”

Kate shook her head. “Sweetie you're not broken.”

“But why can’t I just be normal??” she exclaimed. 

Her mother sighed. “Ellie you are normal. There’s nothing ‘wrong’ with you. Okay? Everyone’s brain is wired a little differently, it's what makes us all unique.” she turned to look at the girl, she didn’t look back but Kate could tell she was listening. “Look at you and your sister. You and Maddie were born the same day, from the same parents, and you two couldn’t be more night and day. Ellie just because you get overstimulated sometimes and it makes your nerves freak out doesn’t mean you’re broken, or weird, or any less ‘normal’ than anyone else. I’m sorry those boys said those things to you, none of it's true and they were doing it just to be mean.” 

Ellie looked down at her lap and sighed. “I know… it’s just… It’s hard not to get in my head about this stuff.”

“I understand that.” Kate said, thinking back on her own youth. “The important thing to remember is that the things your brain is telling you aren’t true. You’re not weird and broken. You’re talented and wonderful. You wouldn’t think twice about telling off someone that insisted that Maddie’s anxiety made her weird or broken. So you should try to be kind to yourself about your own struggles. Those jerks can talk all they want but I doubt any of them can play even half as good as you.” Kate saw a small smile peeking on Ellie’s face. “Sweetheart you’re strong, and smart, and clever, and so very very kind. Anyone that says any different is just trying to bring you down. And they aren’t worth your time.”

The teen looked down at her lap. “Thanks Mom” she mumbled quietly.

Kate smiled at her daughter. “Anytime sweetie. Would you like a hug?”

Ellie stared off into the distance thinking about it for a second before shuddering. “Maybe not right now.” She looked over at her mom. “Sorry.” she said somewhat frowning.

“That’s okay.” Kate replied. “We can just do this instead.” she said, wrapping her own arms around her shoulders.

The dark-haired girl smiled at her before reaching up to copy Kate hugging herself.

“It’s like I’m giving you a hug, but without all the touching.” Kate said smiling sweetly.

Ellie looked down at the woman that bore her, helped raise her, and has done so so much to love and protect and care for her. “Love you Mom.”

“Love you too Ellie.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to [DMMeeble](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DMMeeble) for helping me chew through some parts of this that were giving me trouble.
> 
> And thank you to YOU readers that continue to follow along with this adorable family.  
> <3


End file.
